What we’re about

 

Debbie and I (Dennis) were invited to give the Minister of Communications and his team a presentation this week.

In it we explained what SWAP is all about . . . essentially Voluntourism based around Internet Marketing.

You are sure to enjoy it!

BACKGROUND

Following the recent elections, Prime Minister Tuila’epa has appointed Tuisuga to be the Minister of Communications and Information Technology. Tuisuga was previously the Minister of Public works, and fully responsible for the major recovery and reinstatement work following the 2009 Tsunami. Word from the street is it that he is “a doer” and “an achiever” and is highly respected in Government circles.

That Tuilaepa has selected Tuisuga to oversee Internet matters indicates that Tuila’epa truly recognises the importance of the Internet to the future of Samoa. We predict that Samoa is about to gain major traction online.

DENNIS, DEBBIE & SWAP

I am an Internet Marketing Strategist. I help people, companies and in Samoa’s case, the country to visualise how they can structure their businesses to engage with the Internet technologies so that they achieve their online goals. Prior to emigrating to Samoa I was a major web developer in New Zealand and in 2006 I established the Web Developers Association of New Zealand.

Debbie is a teacher with a BBS (Accountancy) and a Masters in Education specialising in Gifted Education and Online Learning. She joined me in Samoa this year.

SWAP is a Samoa registered Charitable Trust, established to lift post-Tsunami Samoa through education and developing partnerships with local businesses. We seek to increase tourism and foreign investment through the use of voluntourism and Internet Marketing.

OUR VISION

In the early 1990s Ireland, previously a predominantly agricultural economy, with high brain-drain and low morale, marketed itself as a knowledge-based economy, drawing major investment from Intel and other technology companies including Microsoft and later Google.

GDP per capita in the OECD prosperity ranking rose from 21st in 1993 to 4th in 2002. Between 1985 and 2002, private sector jobs increased 59%. Economic growth averaged 10% from 1995 to 2000, and 7% from 2001 to 2004.*

Leaders from around the world flocked to the country to ask the question, “How did you do it?”

Our vision for Samoa is that within a few short years, leaders from around the world will flock to Samoa to ask the same thing about Samoa’s Internet presence, ”How did you do it?”

SAMOA’S SECRET WEAPON

In Aikido, an Eastern martial art, the small guy will often win against the bigger guy by deflecting the larger force intended for his harm and turning it to his advantage. We believe that post-Tsunami goodwill towards Samoa is enormous, and that if tapped into, International goodwill can be a secret weapon that Samoa can use to its advantage.

The Samoa Tsunami in 2009 was the biggest event to occur in the South Pacific since Pearl Harbour and most people living in Samoa at the time have little idea how deep and how long-lasting this international goodwill is. I believe that with the equivalent of a billion dollars of negative press around the world in just three weeks in September & October 2009, if you would just mention the name Samoa in ten years, even people in Uzbekistan will likely just say, “Tsunami!”

SWAP’s business model is to tap into this “hidden” resource.

THE PIPE

As with any new technology, the difficulty is to know how to best use it.

Finding the best way to use our resources is the mark of a good manager.

An important concept for leaders and managers to understand is that the Internet is simply like a pipe. People need a pipe but they want to drink WATER, not a pipe.

But we need systems to get the water to work, or to get to us from the pipe.

If the Internet is compared to a pipe (B), then people want water (A). Achievements and wealth (D) come through brands and systems (C) not the pipe.

BRAND & INFLUENCE

I shared a concept called Web Thought Leadership on my personal website www.dennis.co.nz recently. In it I explained that the ‘movers and shakers’ create brands and generate influence, rather than owning and controlling a given market.

An excellent example of this is Google, who provide a strong brand and “Search Technology” (a system). They effectively manage the entire world’s information without owning it and therefore gain their business success.

Groupon is another success story.

Groupon has tapped into global markets by combining two existing concepts, group purchasing power and coupons (discounts) and with a well-branded web-based system established the fastest company to a $1b valuation in history.

THE SWAP BUSINESS MODEL

SWAP brings volunteers to Samoa to assist creating value – specifically tourism and foreign investment using modern Internet technologies.

We work with existing Samoan businesses and joint venture partner with those wishing to value-add or to achieve Internet objectives.

Just like Google, Groupon and other well-structured businesses . . .

SWAP is a well-branded system that leverages Samoa’s greatest post-Tsunami resource, international goodwill.

We are a system that helps bring volunteers to Samoa, to assist in Internet Marketing (and/or other complementary roles).

 

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_Republic_of_Ireland#Celtic_Tiger